The present invention relates to the art of golf clubs and, more particularly, to iron type and wood type golf club heads weighted for improved performance.
Golf clubs comprise a shaft and a club head and are generally classified into three categories: woods, irons, and putters. Irons are classified by loft angle. Irons with low loft angles, e.g. 20xc2x0-30xc2x0, are classified as long irons, while irons with large loft angles, e.g. 40xc2x0-50xc2x0, are classified as short irons. Typically irons are numbered from long to short, i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, PW (pitching wedge), SW (sand wedge), and LW (lob wedge). Irons include a head joined to a hosel and a shaft with the shaft being attached to the head by fitting the shaft into a bore formed in the hosel. The hosel is typically attached to and formed integrally with the head of an iron. Conventionally, the golf club head includes a heel, a bottom sole, a toe, a planar striking face and a back side.
Golfing irons can be said to be either a traditional design wherein the iron is forged and has a generally continuous back portion on the club blade or of a second type of design known as cavity back. In the cavity back design, the back portion of the club blade includes a substantial depression or cavity which has the effect of providing perimeter weighting for the club head. Traditionally, cavity back clubs which include perimeter weighting have shown to provide a larger xe2x80x9csweet spotxe2x80x9d or striking area such that a ball need not be struck precisely in the center of mass of the club to produce an acceptable golf shot.
In designing wood and iron club heads, factors such as weight distribution, overall finish weight, and center of gravity are of importance. In an effort to reduce the overall finish weight of a club, lighter and stronger materials have been used. Conventional wooden club heads have been replaced by stainless steel club heads which have, in turn, been replaced by titanium club heads. Titanium has proven to be a desirable material because of its strength and reduced mass. However, titanium is quite expensive. Therefore, a need exists for a golf club head comprised of a cost-effective, light-weight, and strong material. In addition, an optimized weight distribution which enhances overall performance is desired.
The present invention contemplates new and improved golf club heads which overcome the above-referenced problems and others.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an iron type golf club head includes a heel portion, toe portion, bottom sole portion, top ridge portion, a hosel portion, a striking face which contains a primary striking zone, and a rear surface. A peripheral mass is formed on the rear surface adjacent the heel, toe, bottom sole, and top ridge portions. The peripheral mass defines a rear cavity where the bottom of the rear cavity is defined by the rear surface. A cantilevered mass extends from the bottom sole portion toward the top ridge portion within the rear cavity. The cantilevered mass is spaced apart from the rear surface.
In accordance with a more limited aspect of the present invention, the primary striking zone of the striking face has a thickness between 0.115 inches and 0.135 inches. Further, the iron type golf club head is comprised of cryogenically treated steel.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a metal wood type golf club head includes a hollow body having an inner cavity delimited by a sole portion, a striking face having a primary striking zone, a heel portion having an opening defining a shaft axis for the introduction of a shaft, a toe portion, and a crown portion linking the striking face, toe portion, and heel portion. A higher density weight chip is located along the sole portion, providing a center of gravity which is substantially closer to the sole portion than the crown portion.
In accordance with a more limited aspect of the present invention, the primary striking zone of the striking face has a thickness between 0.130 inches and 0.135 inches.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an iron set includes a plurality of irons having increasing size numbers. Each iron head of the iron set includes a heel portion, toe portion, bottom sole portion, top ridge portion, a hosel portion, a striking face which contains a primary striking zone, and a rear surface. A peripheral mass is formed on the rear surface adjacent the heel, toe, bottom sole, and top ridge portions. The peripheral mass defines a rear cavity where the bottom of the rear cavity is defined by the rear surface. A cantilevered mass extends from the bottom sole portion toward the top ridge portion within the rear cavity. The cantilevered mass is spaced apart from the rear surface.
In accordance with a more limited aspect of the present invention, the primary striking zone of each striking face has a thickness between 0.115 inches and 0.135 inches. Further, the iron heads are comprised of cryogenically treated steel.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method of making a golf club head includes forming the club head having a primary striking zone, a top portion, a bottom portion, a toe portion, and a heel portion, wherein at least the striking face of the club head is cryogenically treated steel. The primary striking zone has at least a portion having a thickness between 0.115 inches and 0.135 inches, where the face thickness results in a reduced striking zone mass. The method further includes distributing mass not used in the reduced striking zone mass about at least one of the striking face, the top portion, the bottom portion, the toe portion, the heel portion.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method of constructing a golf club head includes assembling the golf club head including a striking face, a top portion, a bottom portion, a toe portion, and a heel portion, and cryogenically treating the assembled golf club head. Alternatively, the method includes cryogenically treating a striking face and assembling the striking face in contact with a top portion, a bottom portion, a toe portion, and a heel portion.
One advantage of the present invention is that it has a reduced face thickness.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides optimized weight distribution.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides a lower center of gravity.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides greater distance and accuracy for off-center hits.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides enhanced energy transfer.
Yet another advantage of the present invention resides in the welding of a tungsten weight clip in the sole portion of the wood type club.
Still another advantage of the present invention resides in variable positioning of the cantilevered mass depending on the iron size number.
Other benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the preferred embodiments.